Horse-detacher



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BfD. AUSTIN. HORSE DBTAGHER.-

No. 550,150. Nov. 19.1895.

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PAT-ENT OFFICE.

EARNETT DAYTON AUSTIN, or ROME, TENNESSEE.

HORSE-DETAOHER.

SPECIFICATION ferming part of Lettere Patent No. 550,150, dated November 19, 1895.

Applieeaoi nea Jennery 3o, 1s9'5.' serial No. 536,752. (No moda.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARNETT DAYTON AUS-Q TIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rome, Smith county, in the State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Harness Aand Shaft-Coupling for Use on Vehicles, as

shown by the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The invention relates to safety appliances for driving-harness, and the object in View is, primarily, to enable the driver to detach the animal from the shafts of the vehicle in casev he becomes unmanageable or runs away,`and, incidentally, to simplify the harness and dispense with whiiiietrees and traces. The preferred construction whereby these objects are attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a plan View of the front portion of a vehicle and its shafts, showing the manner of applying the invention for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective of that portion of the device that forms` part of the harness proper. Fig. 3, is a similar view of a fragment of one of the shafts, showing that part of the device that is secured to the shafts and which serves to releasably attach the devicel shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4L is a plan view of the part of the-shaft shown in Fig. 3, the immediate parts forming my invention being sectioned horizontally.

In the views like letters and numerals of reference denote corresponding parts.

Referring to Fig. 2, B denotes a buckleframe. This device forms the means of connection between the harness proper and the vehicle-shafts and is constructed substan-v tially as follows to adapt it for detachable connection to the several draft parts of theV ing drawings, as follows:

ff are flanges extending along the edges of the arms, and 2 4L 4 are guards spanning the space between the iianges at the ends of the arms and raised somewhat above the surface oi' the arms and the body portion of the buckleframe, so as to permit the harness-straps to be slid into the arms under the guards and between the flanges. To secure the straps in position each of the arms is provided'with a spud 3 to enter the holes in the straps.

As shown in the present drawings, the hame or breast-strap is continuous with the breeching-strap,and the strap leading down from the saddle is continuous with the shaft-girth 3 but of course these Inay, if preferred, all be separate pieces, as is usual in ordinary harnesses. I'prefer the arrangement shown for convenience, simplicity, and neat appearance.

The construction'thus far described 'adapts the buckle-frame for connection 'to the'harness, of which it forms an essential but detachable part.

To adapt the frame for attachment to the shafts when it is desired to hitch up the horse, it is provided centrally with two outwardly and horizontally projecting ears or lugs d d, and in these lears is vertically pivoted a loop or bail s, so that it may swing loosely in a fore and-aft-direction. This completes the construction of the buckle-frame. lf desired, it may have an additional arm extending downwardly in line withvthe arm b/ for connection to the shaft-girth; but I deem this unnecessary, as the girth-strap,if not continuous with the saddle-strap, may simply be run up into the arm b along with the saddlestrap.

The part of the invention that is a iiXturel to the shafts of the vehicle is as follows:

IOO

There is one for Veachshaft; but as theyare identical a description of one will suiiice for both.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, A denotes a metallic casing, the shape and exterior outline of which are immaterial. This casing is secured to the inner `side of the shaft at the pointopposite where the saddle-girth of the harness comes, and may be secured `byiany suitable means, a convenient arrangement being shown in the drawings,where a a indi# cate outwardly-projecting lugs `adapted `to fity over and under the shaft,partially embracing the same and secured by screws orbolts and nuts. A notch a is made in this casing at any suitable point between its ends, the open end of the notch `standinginward ortoward the animal. Just back of this Vnotch a latch Z is vpivot'ed in the casingyso that its free 'end extends over and closes the notch a". `The latch has arearward or heelextension a2, that co-op'erates with 'a holte to "form fa positive lock. This bolt is -slidinglylmounted in the casin g and has its rearend projecting outside the casing, as shown in Fig. et. At the frontl end the bolt has a headh witlra vcurved end 7L abutting against the hub of thelatch `anda fiat side `fitting the underside of theheel of the latch, and the opposite side of t-hc head. is preferably inclined, `as shown at i', `co-oper-` ating with an inclined surface i2 on the casing'` to insure its proper engagement under theheel of the latch. `An'impoitant function of the` curved end of the head h is that when the .bolt is withdrawn and the latch opened the heel d2); will be caught on the curve Iand the latch held@ open, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4,'but in a m ann'er to .permit its `easyclosin g without` having to `again withdraw the bolt. For the purpose of `automaticallylocking andkeep ing the bolt locked itsishanlk is encircled by a coiled springt. (Seelig. 4.) The construcit tion being as thus described, it will be understood that when the swivel s engages the notch a andthe latch Z is locked theharness,` and of course the horse,wis securclyhitched to the vehicle, and the latching devices being rigidly secured to the shafts andthe buckle-I frame carrying the swivel being an integral part of the harness the fastening has. abun" dant strength 4for all ordinary draft purposes.

In order to permit the horse to be instantly` detached from the shafts incase of runaway or becoming otherwise unmanageable, `l attach to theend of the bolt e, that .projects out of therear end of the casing A, acord or strap F, and l extend this cord back to a point within easy reach of the driver, arranging it preferably as shown in Fig. l--that is to say, a continuous cord extending from the bolt on one shaft back loosely around the dashboard to the bolt on the other shaft.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a harness, of a buckle-fra1ne` having an upwardly projecting 'member adapted for 'attachment to the saddle straps, forwardly and rearwardly extending horizontal members, adapted, respectively, for attachment tothe haine or breast-strap and-the breechingstrap, fand a pivoted loop, bail, or swivelfor connection to 'the vehicle shaft; substantially as described.

2. A' buckle-frame for .attachment to :a harness, consisting of the bodyl portion ib, the upwardly projecting arimb, with spud and guard 2, and thelforwardlySprojectingarms b2, b3, with -spuds 3 `and .-gnards 4 and the pivoted `loop, bail, or swivel .8;substantially as described.

3. The combination of the 4casin g A ,adapted for attachment to .iavehicle shal't,f`the notch a in 'said casing, the -pivted latclrzhaving the heel `ezdL-cnson a2 `and `serving to closethc notch when locked,.and the releasablc sliding bolt e, said bolt having thefh-eadh co-op erating with theheel extension of the latch, l andprojectingat its opposite endfthrough the rear endof the casing, and encircled by the coiled*spring-t,l Asubstantially as described.

4. Thecombnation, to forin `a horse detacher, of the notched casing. A, adapted for attachment tosa vehicle shaft, :and having the :pivoted latch 'Z serving to close the notch when locked, and the releasable `spring bolt 'c acting to lock the latch in closed position, withthe buckle-frame B,.ad1apted for connection with harness `straps leadingfrom the saddle, the shaft-girth, the haines or breaststrap, and the Vbreeching, and having the pivoted loop,'bail, or swivel s adapted to iit the notch in the casing; substantially as described.

BARNE'PI .DAYTON AUSTTN.

Titnesses `W. W. FERGUssoN, R. FERGUssoN. 

